Scarlett Mave has always been good at one thing. She's a top student, a top athlete, the best in the drama department, had an eye for fashion... but her number one quality was her ability to slip on her mask and hold her head up high as everyone breaks their necks to bend a knee around her.

And that's exactly what she did. 

She couldn't skip school the rest of the day, and hiding out in the school bathroom would make her look weak and pathetic. So, instead, she marched into the nurses office, claimed migraine, and got to skip her next class lying down with a magazine. 

If anyone knew how to play the game, and play it well... it was her. And she came out on top of it every single time. 

Alas, she clicks down the hall, face strong, chin up, and head held high as she walks to Mr. Fitz class. She would not be seen scared, she would not falter. No anonymous text message would have any soft of affect on her. No. Not when she is the Scarlett Mave. 

Mona clicks in merely seconds before Scarlett, texting on her phone. 

"Am I late?" She looks up causing Scarlett to snap her head up behind her.

"It's-it's Mona, right?" Mr. Fitzs looks up at her. 

"That's right, Mr. Fritz." Mona chimes earning a snort from Scarlett and a small roar of laughter from the rest of the class. 

"What?" Mona looks at the class cluelessly. 

"Take your sear, Mona, please." Mr. Fitz scratches his chin, trying to hide his amusement. "Scarlett, right?" His eyes land on the Mave girl next. 

"I was right behind Mona, and have a nurses note." She holds her hands up innocently.

"You're fine." Mr. Fitz shakes his head. "You can take a seat too."

Scarlett smiles, breezing by the desks to her seat on the other side of Hanna as Mr. Fitz starts while she corrects Mona's pronunciation.

"If the mockingbird represents the idea of innocence... what characters are innocent?" Mr. Fitz's proposes to the classroom as he passes out papers. "Take a second. Jot down your ideas. We'll discuss."

Nobody is innocent, Scarlett thinks to herself. And if they are... they are either under the age of twelve, or lying. Almost always lying. 

Aria walks in as Mr. Fitz returns to his desk. Ah, wasn't last, Scarlett purses her lips as she squints trying to see what Aria slaps down. She can only make out the red stamp 'DECLINED.' 

It's a miracle she wasn't A really, she's more observant than anyone ever gives her credit for, most people assuming she's so self-absorbed in her own world, she is, that she doesn't pay that much attention to anyone else. But she does. That's what made her so sneaky. Helpful. Valuable.

She glances up noticing Aria and Mr. Fitz hold lingering eye contact as she write her name at the top of her paper.

And it's what makes her dangerous to those who don't want to be seen...

♥ ♥ ♥

Scarlett arrives to an empty house when she arrives home, as per usual.  She constantly battles with herself over loving the house to herself... and being driven slowly insane over it. Over the loneliness. 

The loneliest liar. 

Her phone ringing causes her to jump out of her own skin before she hastily snatches it out of bag to answer. For a moment she hesitates-

"Hello?"

"Hey." Spencer's voice breathes out on the other line. Her body felt a hair lighter. "Are you- do you wanna come to dinner with us again tonight so I don't have to be alone?" She asks. 

Scarlett believes one dinner with Rose, Melissa, and Melissa's new fiancé for them to gush over was enough to last year until the next major holiday, at least. But, she didn't even eat any lunch, how could she with that horror show from today, and if Spencer's actually calling to ask, she must really want the company. 

Though they've had to keep in touch over the past year more than any of the girl's, excluding Scarlett and Hanna... they had to more than chose to. Although they were neighbor's, and cousins, their relationship still strained over the past year, and they weren't as close as they were before. They both knew it, which made things a bit awkward considering their proximity was forced by their families rather than chosen freely by them. They talked, and of course were nice, but they both knew it was... different. 

"Yeah." Scarlett's answers after a few beats too long of silence. But Spencer gave her the space. "Yeah, why not?" What else did she have going on for her... other than dark idea's that she was about to indulge in? 

"Ugh, thank you." Spencer sighs in relief. "Dinner the other night was only bearable because of you."

"Most things usually are." The corner's of Scarlett's lips tug up. "I'm sure Rose will be there and it's only fair I deal with my sister if you have to too."

"You're a life saver." Spencer tells her, having no idea she's one herself.

♥ ♥ ♥

Scarlett pulls into the Apple Rose Grille by herself, five minutes 'late' to find Spencer and Uncle Pete on his phone. No Melissa and Wren, and no Rose. Surprisingly, today has been her day for not being the last one to arrive. Aunt Veronica was still at work with her mother, at least one of the Hasting's are usually missing from a dinner, which diverts the fact that both her parents are almost never present or at home either. 

"Hey." Scarlett's approaches the table, reading the crushed look on Spencer's face immediately before she brightens at the sight of her. 

"Hey, Scarlett, how's school?" Pete asks her, glancing up from his phone for a moment.

"Great. I'm already ahead two weeks in two classes." She tells him, knowing he'll love hearing that. Both him and her aunt are academic freaks, whereas only her mother is. She couldn't imagine both parents clamping down on her about grades 24/7, just the one is enough.

Spencer dips her head towards the door to direct Scarlett's attention to Aria walking in. Spencer stands as Scarlett leads the way. 

"Hey." Aria greets softly. 

"Hey." Spencer returns. "I was gonna e-mail you when I got home. How weird was that lunch?" She looks in between Aria and Scarlett.

"You mean the lunch that I didn't want to be apart of?" Scarlett sharply points out. 

Aria exhales loudly. "I'd say on a scale from one to ten, eleven."

"Yeah." Spencer nods in agreement. 

"So then don't do it again." Scarlett stares at Aria, suddenly reminding the girls of her dominance. And she could be nasty when she wanted to be. That's how she's remained on top.

"Yeah, lesson learned, sorry." Aria looks at her sheepishly. Malicious intent or not, Scarlett holds power, just as Ali did. "Oh, is that the new  fiancé?" 

Scarlett glances over her shoulder as Spencer turns to find Melissa and Weston... Will? Walking in hand in hand, Rose floating behind them. 

"Is he as uptight as Melissa?" Aria cracks.

"No one's as uptight as Melissa." Spencer says, watching them walk towards the table. 

"Except-" Scarlett sings.

"Rose." Spencer finishes for her. They all three share a look and chuckle. "We'd better get back."

Oh, right! Scarlett remembers they're not just here for this, unfortunately. "Wish us luck." She raises her brows at Aria. 

"Alright. See ya. Good luck." Aria softly encourages. 

"Can I get anyone a drink?" The waiter asks as Spencer quickly slides into her spot in the booth beside Melissa's fiancé and Scarlett takes her place beside her, sitting across from Rose. 

"I'll have a vodka soda." Spencer rushes out.

"Vodka cran for me." Scarlett smirks and Rose's eyes widen. 

"Uh, they're kidding." Melissa quickly tells the waiter, glancing at the Spencer oddly. 

"God-forbid a girl have a long day." Scarlett smooths her napkin across her lap as Rose scoffs at sister. She was going to have a drink either way at home... maybe even more.

"Uh, I'm gonna have a glass of the house cab." Pete orders. "Melissa?"

"Uh, the same as my father." She smiles. 

"Rose?" Pete then looks to his right.

"I'll have a glass of pinot noir." Rose purses her lips.

"I actually will have a vodka soda." Melissa's fiancé cheekily says, causing Spencer to smile to herself. 

"Lucky." Scarlett mutters before looking up. "Lemon water." 

♥ 

"Hi-low, anyone?" Melissa grins, looking around the table as the waiter places down their drinks a few minutes later. 

"Ooo, yes, please!" Rose rushes to agree. 

"Hi-low?" Wren, Scarlett was finally reminded when his name was said moments ago, looks at Melissa perplexedly. 

"It's a game." Spencer tells him. "You guys don't play it in bed?" She lifts a brow. 

Scarlett gracious chuckles into her water. Oh, she's so glad she came. Rose scoffs at Spencer's words. 

"Wren, you can play too." Pete says, giving Spencer a look. 

"I'm a bit lost." Wren responds. 

"You'll catch on." Pete assures him. 

Scarlett secretly enjoyed hi-low, as she always loves a change to brag. 

"I'll go first." Melissa happily claims. "We just started out first week of class and I've already been nominated to serve on the business of school's leadership committee." While she talks Scarlett watches out of the corner of her eye as Wren shares his drink with Spencer. Is everyone around here stupid and blind? She thinks to herself as she misses what Pete's saying. But when Melissa and Rose both have their heads up their own asses, and each other's, and Pete has his head in his phone or is currently looking directly as Melissa... everyone misses Spencer taking a sip.

"If I don't play, do I still get another drink?" Wren turns to Spencer. 

"If I play for you does that mean I get yours?" Scarlett whispers earning a snicker from Spencer before she mouths 'no' to Wren.

"Spencer, you're up." Pete gains the trio's attention. 

"Um..." She trails off and Scarlett remembers how shitty their day was with A, the office, Jenna... what would she even say for her hi, she had plenty of lows. 

"I'll go." Wren pipes up gaining her attention, and everyone else's. "I got a brilliant parking spot today right in front of the chem lab." He nods confidently. 

Spencer bursts out laughing and Wren follows, Rose looking at them with strong judgement. 

Well, if that's his hi... the bar is low, Scarlett claps her hands together. 

"He's just kidding." Melissa turns to Pete, explaining for him. 

"Mhm-hmm." Pete hums. Melissa's pointed look brings Wren's laughter to a stop, though Spencer giggles to herself as she leans over to Scarlett. "I'm so glad you came." 

"This is far more entertaining than anything I would've done at home." Scarlett humors her, though she'd be far less sober, but Spencer seems to be having fun and lucky for Scarlett, she zoned out during Rose's a minute ago and didn't have to hear hers! "I'll go next." She speaks up,  straightening her spine.

♥ ♥ ♥ 

0𝒷𝓊𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓇𝒷𝒾𝓈𝒸𝓊𝒾𝓉7 𝓈𝓅𝑒𝒶𝓀𝓈!

Hello, hellooo... long time no see huh? ;)

I've actually had this chapter started for quite some time, but FINALLY finished it this weekend, whoo!! Also, my mom & I finished/caught up on The Bear yesterday so we went back to PLL which we haven't touched in YEARS togetherrr!! Missed PLL SO much!! 

Anywaysss... it is a very special occassionnn... happy birthday to the bitchiest liar... our leo queen, Scar!! 

Sorry not much too crazy happened this chap, Scarlett really got a break this chap, huh lol, but not much happened this part of the ep. but I LOVEDDD getting to show off her skills & y'all get to see just how much she truly see's... which is why she knows so much ;)

I hope y'all enjoyed the chap all the sameee & also I blinked & somehow we hit 9K?!! Whattt?!?!! I can't thank y'all enough!! Pls don't be afraid to comment your thoughts, questions, & reactionsss, & until next time, mwah!! <333